Rep. Aaron Schock Flaunts His Abs On Men’s Health Cover

Aaron Schock is one hot, buff dude. No seriously, are those abs real?! Oh, and he also happens to be a congressman. The 29-year-old Illinois Republican (and his ridiculous abs) grace the June cover of Men’s Health. Let’s discuss!

It wasn’t too long ago that Barack Obama‘s abs were a thing the country was obsessed with. Alas, when it came time for the president to pose for the cover of Men’s Health (a thing he did twice), he opted to cover up his impressive physique. Not so for Schock! The magazine calls him “America’s fittest congressman” (and also the “ripped representative”), and he gets even less clothed in the article’s accompanying spread.

Allow us to present to you our five favorite bits of the piece.

1. “No, what makes Aaron Schock so different in the Washington world is that he’s committed to helping his generation embrace health and fitness as a personal responsibility—and he’s doing it not just with words, but actions.”

Well, sure. But also, WITH ABS.

2. “‘One of my favorite quotes is from Ben Franklin, who said, ‘A good example is the best sermon,’ ‘ Schock says. ‘And I think if you want to start talking about healthy lifestyles and staying in shape, then you yourself should do your best to try to be a model, an example to people you’re trying to convince to do the same.’”

Personally, our favorite Franklin quote is the one that goes: “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Different strokes, we guess.

3. “And model he does. When he strolls into a New York City studio for his photo shoot, Schock isn’t sporting the typical boxy clothes that Beltway insiders wear in order to hide what’s stretching their belts. Instead, he’s decked out in a form-fitting Zegna suit and tapered shirt that show off both his musculature and his fashion savvy. He looks more like a hit man from a European spy thriller than a boring politician.”

4. Maintaining a physique like Schock’s isn’t easy under any circumstance, but in the constantly bubbling pressure cooker of politics, it’s particularly daunting. Consider, for example, an underreported phenomenon in Washington: the hors d’oeuvres horror show.

This is a problem fashion bloggers have, too. So many hors d’oeuvres!

5. “You can pack a lot of calories on the end of a toothpick,” Schock insists. “You have a drink and a few hors d’oeuvres and you’ve just downed hundreds of calories.” If you’re health conscious, it’s an issue. So Schock doubles down on exercise.

Okay, maybe we should take his advice. Have you seen his ABS?! Here, look (also PECS):